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Labor Senator reflects on tough road of politics

EMILY BOURKE: Today after 21 years, 11 months and one day in the Senate, Labor's Nick Sherry retires from the Australian Parliament.

Last night, he chaired his last Senate Estimates Economics Committee with colleagues paying tribute.

ANNE MCEWEN: I think that is testament to what a great Senator and what a great servant of the people of Australia he is that he would choose to spend his last days here in the Senate at Senate Estimates.

BARNABY JOYCE: It's sick!

(Laughter)

ANNE MCEWEN: And he's done a sterling job on that.

BARNABY JOYCE: It's sick!

DOUG CAMERON: Can I just indicate I won't regret seeing you not chairing the Economics Committee again. You've kept Barnaby and I under immaculate control and it has been pretty hard to do and it has been one the most frustrating economics committee I have ever attended but you did well, thanks.

EMILY BOURKE: Senator Nick Sherry was Australia's first minister for superannuation, an appointment he said was a career highlight.

But he was also subject to enormous pressure and ridicule.

In 1997 the Senator was accused of rorting his travel allowance, and he was cleared, but not before he attempted to take his own life.

Chief political correspondent Sabra Lane has spoken with Senator Sherry and asked him if politics is a noble profession, given many hold a dim view of it right now.

NICK SHERRY: I would argue it is. I believe and I still believe this very strongly despite all that is going on, all that I've seen that every person who is elected to this Parliament, whatever their shade, colour, political complexion, Labor, Liberal, Green whatever come to this place wanting to make it a better world and a better country. They all come with that and our level of contribution, the degree of contribution will vary.

SABRA LANE: It's been a particularly bruising place especially the last couple of months and Craig Thomson. People have talked about how torrid it is, how abusive debate has been. Is that just part of the rough and tumble or are you worried about the level of debate here?

NICK SHERRY: That is part of politics in Australia. I have to say that the focus on Craig Thomson has been the most intense I think I have ever seen of any public figure, not just in politics but any public figure in recent Australian history but having said that, I think there will always be a level of rough and tumble to politics in federal politics and the community I think does vary in its attitude to that.

In terms of Craig Thomson, whatever Craig Thomson has done or hasn't done, I think the bottom line is that there has been no charges laid and certainly no conviction and ultimately that should be the point in time when people make a judgement but again I accept the reality in the Australian community and indeed in the Parliament, there is a political process, there is a level of judgement that people will make - fair or unfair but my view would be strongly in terms of his seat in Parliament for example, that is an issue that follows as a consequence of any conviction if that should occur. I mean not at that point in time.

SABRA LANE: In your valedictory you spoke about the issue of mental health and in suicide and you pay tribute to Andrew Robb, John Brogden, Jeff Kennett for raising community awareness because you went through a very difficult time yourself in your career and you recovered. Do you hope that you are a role model for many people outside this place?

NICK SHERRY: Look I am always a bit cautious about this because and the reason being that individuals vary enormously and their response to pressure, the impact of a range of mental issues and indeed their recovery, the level of recovery. Some sadly don't recover, some do, so individuals vary enormously and I am not an expert. Despite experience I am not an expert, to the extent that I know some people do say to me in the community look it is great to see Nick, that you recovered, you went back on the front bench, been a minister, people can draw their own conclusions about the level of my success as a minister.

SABRA LANE: The Labor Party itself, it has shied away from releasing the review that was done of their 2010 election performance. Parts of it have been released but parts of it have been kept under wraps. Do you think it ought to be released and do you think the party has done enough to renew itself and to make it attractive to voters?

NICK SHERRY: Look, I think if you do a review you've ultimately got to release it so it should have been released and that's my view and have we done enough? I think it is too early to judge whether we have carried out enough reform. I have always been a strong advocate of as much openness and as much direct participation as you can get in terms of the members making decisions in the party. I think it is important to maximise member participation where you practically can in policy and also pre-selection.

I think we do suffer from a narrowness of pre-selected background of candidates. We need to broaden that out. Now what the practical solutions for the party in terms of process to accomplish that, I'm not an expert but I do think we need to do more in that area.

EMILY BOURKE: Senator Nick Sherry and the full interview with him, including his thoughts on superannuation and life beyond Canberra, will be on our website later.